This application claims the benefit of Korean Patent Application No. 38743/1999 filed on Sep. 10, 1999 and Korean Patent Application No. 46453/1999 filed on Oct. 25, 1999, which are hereby incorporated by reference.
1 . Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an unmanaged Ethernet switch, and more particularly, to an apparatus or method for establishing construction information of an unmanaged Ethernet switch.
2 . Description of the Related Art
In general, there are two types of Ethernet switches that enable high speed Ethernet switching. One type of Ethernet switch is managed by a central processing unit (CPU) and is known as a xe2x80x9cmanaged Ethernet switch.xe2x80x9d The other type of Ethernet switch is not managed by the CPU and is known as an xe2x80x9cunmanaged Ethernet switch.xe2x80x9d Accordingly, in the case of the managed Ethernet switch, if a construction form of an option slot is modified, the CPU automatically processes switch construction information according to the modified option slot, while, in the case of the unmanaged Ethernet switch, an extra storing unit, storing construction information, is fittingly provided according to the construction form of the option slot to process the switch construction information.
FIG. 1 shows an unmanaged Ethernet switch having a crossbar switch 11, first and second option slots 12-1 and 12-2, and a ROM 13 in accordance with conventional art. The option slots may be varied in number. The crossbar switch 11 performs the main switching of the unmanaged Ethernet switch. The first and the second option slots 12-1 and 12-2 have a front-load structure. Various option boards for providing speeds of 10/100/1000 mbps can b e mounted in the first and second option slots 12-1 and 12-2, and mounted option boards #1 and #2 are respectively connected to connectors 25 and 14. The ROM 13 stores construction information of option boards #1 and #2, which are mounted in the first an the second option slots 12-1 and 12-2. The crossbar switch 11 and the ROM 13 are implemented on a main board 10 which is covered by an outer casing.
The operation of the unmanaged Ethernet switch constructed as described above will now be explained with reference to the accompanying drawings. In the unmanaged Ethernet switch of the conventional art, the construction information of the switch, that is, the construction information of option board #1 or option board #2 mounted in the first and the second option slots 12-1 and 12-2, are typically assigned by the ROM 13 positioned on the main board 10. Accordingly, in a case where the construction form of the first and the second option slots 12-1 and 12-2 is changed as the option board #1 and/or the option board #2 are mounted or dismounted, a fresh ROM 13 needs to be used suitably for the changed option slot form.
The below Table 1 shows forms of the ROM 13 to be used corresponding to each construction form of the first and the second option slots 12-1 and 12-2. In this respect, ROM1xcx9cROM3 have information about whether option board #1 and/or option board #2 are respectively mounted in the first and the second option slots 12-1 and 12-2.
For example, if it is desired to change the construction form of the first and the second option slots 12-1 and 12-2 from the first construction form to the second construction form, a user would open the outer casing of the unmanaged Ethernet switch and remove ROM1 used in the first construction form from the ROM mounting socket, before turning on the power. The user would then mount ROM2, storing construction information suitable for the second construction form, in the ROM mounting socket and operate the unmanaged Ethernet switch to turn on the power.
In the same manner, in a case of changing the construction form of the first and the second option slots 12-1 and 12-2 from the second construction form to the third construction form, the user removes ROM2 and mounts ROM3 in place of it for use. Also, in a case of changing the construction form of the first and the second option slots 12-1 and 12-2 from the third construction form to the second or the first construction form, the user removes existing ROM3 and mounts ROM2 or ROM1 in place of it for use.
As described above, the first and the second option slots are separated from the main board and usually have a front-load structure to facilitate the change in the construction of the switch. Accordingly, in the case of changing the structure of the unmanaged Ethernet switch, each option board is mounted or dismounted in the first and the second option slots without opening the outer casing. However, because the ROM storing the information on the switch construction of the conventional unmanaged Ethernet switch is typically positioned on a main board covered by an outer casing, in the case of replacing the ROM in adjustment to a change in the construction of the unmanaged Ethernet switch, inconveniently, the user should open and close the outer casing to replace the ROM with a fresh one every time the construction form of each option slot is changed.
Therefore, an object of the present invention is to provide an apparatus and method for establishing construction information of an unmanaged Ethernet switch which is capable of readily replacing a memory according to a construction form of each option slot without opening or closing an outer casing.
Additional features and advantages of the invention will be set forth in the description which follows, and in part will be apparent from the description, or may be learned by practice of the invention. The objectives and other advantages of the invention will be realized and attained by the structure particularly pointed out in the written description and claims hereof as well as the appended drawings.
In order to achieve these and other advantages and in accordance with the purpose of the present invention, as embodied and broadly described, in one aspect of the present invention there is provided an apparatus for establishing construction information of an unmanaged Ethernet switch, comprising a crossbar switch performing a main switching operation; a first option slot having a front-load structure for mounting a first option board; a second option slot having a front-load structure for mounting a second option board; first and second memories storing switch construction information of a construction form of the first and second option slots; and a bus switch connecting the first memory to the crossbar switch in a case that a first option board is dismounted from the first option slot, and connecting the second memory to the crossbar switch in a case that the first option board is mounted in the first option slot.
In another aspect of the present invention there is provided an apparatus for establishing construction information of an unmanaged Ethernet switch, comprising a crossbar switch performing a main switching operation; first and second option slots each having a front-load structure for respectively mounting first and second option boards; a first memory storing construction information of a first construction form of the first and second option slots; a second memory storing construction information of a second construction form of the first and second option slots; a bus switch connected between the first and the second memories and the crossbar switch so as to connect one of the first and the second memories to the crossbar switch according to a construction form of the first and second option slots; and a connector that indicates to the bus switch whether there is a first option board mounted in the first option slot.
In yet another aspect of the present invention there is provided a method for establishing construction information of an unmanaged Ethernet switch having first and second option slots, first and second memories, and a crossbar switch performing a main switching operation according to switch construction information stored in the first and the second memories, comprising the steps of mounting the first memory storing a first switch construction information on a main board; mounting the second memory storing the second switch construction information on the first option board, the second switch construction information corresponding to the construction form of the first and second option slots; supplying power to the crossbar switch for performing the switching operation; sensing whether the first option board having the second memory is mounted in the first option slot; and connecting one of the first and second memories to the crossbar switch according to whether the first option board is mounted and to whether the second option board is mounted.
It is to be understood that both the foregoing general description and the following detailed description are exemplary and explanatory and are intended to provide further explanation of the invention as claimed.